Martinsburg daily gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1887-1887, 1887-06-24
CHOOSING a DOCTOR.
sUceEsTIoNs FROM a PHYSICIAN or
THIRTY YEARS PRACTICE.
Reasons why Certain Practitioners should
Not be Chosen First-Desirable Quali-
ties OF Medical AdvIser-An old Carr
dlnai's Advice.

ties Of = Medical Adviser-Ail Old Carr
dinai's Advice.
In choosing a medical attendant, per-
sonality goes a long way with most people.
When some member of the family falls
very i'll, usually practitioner Of pre-
sumed eminent standing is called in as
consultant by the attending physician.
Nine times out Of ten this consultar
Hon results In the consultant's con-
firmiag and approving the diagnosis
and treatment Of the family physi-
cian." In many instances this appro-
baton is hearty and well deserved; but
In some, / am sorry to say, the con-
sultant yields his judgment to politeness
and good nature rather than discredit the
family DOCTORS treatment, etc.
Never choose q recent graduate in medi-
cine, as nc IS always inclined to do as the
professor of practice taught him, as he
usually knows the formulas Of the various
prescriptions presented by that professor.
Yet he lacks the experience and learned
touch-the tactus eruditus of his teacher.
The newly made doctor is also imbued with
the idea that drugs possess the power to
travel through the system and drive out
disease, just as ferret chascs the rats
from between the 1oorings and walls Of
an old house. 1t takes the embryonic doc
tor at least ten years to know that he
should curb his dose giving tendencies
and to learn that most diseases, il aet
alone, will get well Of themselves.
Never choose doctor who has hobby
in medicine, as he is laost sure to trace I'll
forms of disease to that offending organ
ism which RAY be his especial study.
| Il H.
the storiach, to Indigestion, and another
to the liver, ard another to tho nervous
system, and another TO certain pelvic de-
fcct3, if the patient should be q woman.
Tic man who attributes all troubles tC
malaria is likewise to be ayoiGSd as q
guiding and gos reasoning doctor. Ma
laria covers up j good deal of ignorance,
Just as charity covers multitude of Gins,
the difference, however, being tat III the
DOCTORS case the patient usnallySsIlTers
and sometimes dies because cf malaria, I
while tie charity axiom is always sure tt
be of service to somebody.
Never employ doctor who is strictly
| welded to authority. Authority zen
orally means that doctor who hoNs dow
! in reverence to it has no logical turn q
mind, ana lie either lacks knowledge d
| information or courage to rely upon hi.
| own methods. Such d doctor can Gevel
find q case sach as he les under treat
naent III any Of the books Of authority
because t.iere are no two eiseases exactly
alike, any !aorc than there are any .tNs
faces exactly alike. The features Of 81
are nodded in common, but tho eXprcss;o.
in totally i absolutely different.
/ Never choose q doctor who claims t,
cure every thing, particularly II he IS come
wLat advanced in life and has bccom'
4 welded to fixed ideas and unchan5eabl
i themes. Srch a doctor invariably quote
tie shining lights of the past, and he sec
no advance in Lis profession. This EaGi
4 has a lordly contempt for the microscope
\ and chemical analysis, and he feels abov
searching for new discoveries, either u
/ finding out what may TO the character
! the illness or ia the new science OF admin
/ isterlng as little medicine as possible
Aftcr medical man passes his sixty -fourtl
year he should be retired if possible, lik
a general officer m the army He Is the
too firmly allied to his own indiyidualit
to unbend his dignity to new facts.
When you do choose a medical adviser
seek to discover if he is man Of good ed
ucation, good manners, good habits, goo
reasoning powers and GOOD health. Edu
cation implies that his mind has bee
trained to logical deductions, and they 1
turn teach one to associate every action I
life with common sense.
4 Good manners indicate gentle, soothin
methods and patience qualities
much appreciated BIZ the sick. who. ~
i ~ ~